Mom Interviews

Jenn Givler

Work It, Mom! member and business coach

One of the core parts of our mission at Work It, Mom! is to help working moms connect with each other, whether it is to make new friends or network for business or career opportunities. As part of this effort, we're introducing a new feature called Member Highlights--interviews with Work It, Mom! members about their lives, careers, and the daily juggle.

If you'd like to participate, please send an email to info@workitmom.com with the link to your Work It, Mom! profile and Interview in the subject line. We apologize ahead of time if we can't do an interview with you right away.

Today's Member Highlight is an interview with Jenn Givler, a very active Work It, Mom! member and business coach, who is also a mom of a five year-old daughter.

Tell us what a business coach does:

The focus of my business is teaching women entrepreneurs how to break through their mind-set traps. Mind-set traps are things like fear, self-doubt, indecisiveness, and negative thinking. They are sneaky and can really get entrepreneurs stuck.

How did you start doing this for a living?

I actually started my first business in 1999. It was a handmade toiletries business. I learned how to make that business a success, so other business owners started asking me how I was doing it. I saw a need in that industry to teach women how to take their hobby and make it a business. I started a networking group, and began officially coaching in 2004. I now work with clients in many different types of businesses.

Do you do this as a full-time career (or the equivalent) or part-time?

This is my full-time job and I love it!

Is your daughter in school, at home with you in pre-school, daycare, other? What does she do while you work? My daughter actually started Kindergarten this year! Before that, she was in pre-school. I'm able to work while she's at school, and then when she comes home, I can close up shop for the day and spend quality time with her. I remember when I started my first business, though. I was working in a corporate job at the time and pulling 60 to 70 hour weeks between the job and the business. Then, when my daughter was born, it was really tough to keep it all going. I was laid off in 2001 and that gave me the chance to take the business full time.

How do you find your clients?

Most of my marketing activities revolve around building relationships with other women entrepreneurs. I've found that's the absolute best way to build a business. I conduct a variety of marketing activities including attending local networking events, networking online, and writing for several online and offline publications.